OUAGADOUGOU, MARCH 3, 2015 (CISA) – Cardinal Philippe Ouédraogo has challenged African film makers to rise to penetrate the world of media with true ethical values of the Gospel of Salvation brought by Jesus Christ.
The Cardinal welcomed filmmakers, movie enthusiasts, producers, directors, technicians and actors to Ouagadougou and to the Eucharistic celebration after the Mass, a reflection on the day for Christian film was held.
“The Church continues to play an important role in the promotion of film that defends human and spiritual values,” he said.
He was speaking when he presided over the opening Mass of the ongoing 2015 Pan-African Film and Television Festival at Ouagadougou (FESPACO) in Burkina Faso.
Reflecting on whether the relationship between the Church and cinema were a failed project, Cardinal Ouedraogo believes that the Church still has something to bring to cinema and cinema has something to contribute to the Church-family of God.
Cardinal Ouedraogo also spoke of the importance that the Catholic Church attaches to media as a vehicle for evangelization. He said one of the main activities of the Episcopal Commission for Social Communications of Burkina Faso was the formation of future priests in seminaries in the study of film analysis, reported Radio Vaticana.
He emphasised on the importance of the media today: “There is no doubt at all the that the media: radio, film, television etc. play a vital role in guiding and inspiring individual, family and social behaviour in society.”
Cardinal Ouedraogo reminded the congregation that the media has a prophetic role in that it must denounce evil and injustice in society.
“The media ought to be the voice of those on the periphery, the undocumented and to promote human dignity,” said Cardinal Ouedraogo.
